Table 1 Summary of study characteristics
Reference (author, year, country) | Design and setting | Sample size, age and sex | Program duration | Device/game used in the intervention | Intervention content | FMS measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barnett et al. [36], Australia | Randomized controlled trial (RCT [pre–post]), after school setting | n = 95 6.2 ± 1.0 y 55% girls 45% boys | 6 weeks, 1 day/week 60 min/session Total of 360 min | Nintendo Wii: sports active video games that require the use of object control skills Participants interacted with the software via a handheld controller | Experimental group (EXP): Participants selected and played a Nintendo Wii sport game, in pairs (bowling, frisbee and/or disk golf, table tennis, tennis). A different set of games was offered each fortnight. Two research assistants supervised each session, without providing any coaching tips Control group (CON): no practice | Object control skills (striking stationary ball, stationary dribble, kicking, catching, overhand throwing, underhand rolling) assessed with TGMD-2 Each item received a score of 1 (or 0) if correctly (or not) executed based on standard movement criteria |
Gao et al. [34], United States | Non-randomized trial (pre–post), school setting | n = 65, 4.5 ± 0.5 y 51% girls 49% boys | 8 weeks, 5 days/week, 20 min/session Total of 800 min | Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect: dance and whole-body activities (Wii Just Dance for Kids, Wii Nickelodeon Fit, Xbox Kinect Just Dance for Kids) Participants interacted with the software via a handheld controller | EXP: participants played the exergames individually, in pairs or in group. A teacher or research assistant supervised each session, ensuring continuous game play CON: participants engaged in self-selected physical activities during recess (e.g., chasing and tag) | Locomotor (running, hopping and jumping) and object control skills (throwing and kicking) assessed with TGMD-2 Each item received a score of 1 (or 0) if correctly (or not) executed based on standard movement criteria |
Hsiao & Chen [41], Taiwan | Non-randomized trial (pre–post), school setting | n = 105, 3–6 y 47% girls 53% boys | 1 day 40 min session | ASUS Xtion PRO: custom-made “goalkeeping” game Participants interacted with the software via their body movement (sensors captured children’s motion) | EXP: participants caught a virtual ball in different conditions CON: participants practiced in pairs catch and throw with the traditional instructor-led approach | Whole-body coordination (tapping a balloon to keep it in the air for as long as possible) assessed with a custom-made test |
Johnson et al. [37], Australia | RCT (pre–post), school setting, lunch break | n = 36, 6–10 y 47% girls 53% boys | 6 weeks, 1 day/week 50 min/session Total of 300 min | Xbox Kinect: sports active video games that require the use of object control skills (Kinect Sports Season 1,2; Sports Rivals) Participants interacted with the software via their body movement | EXP: participants chose two to three sport games to play each session in the school media room; week 1 games: tennis, table tennis, baseball; week 2 games: baseball, golf; week 3 games: table tennis, soccer; week 4 games: golf, beach volleyball; week 5 games: tennis, baseball, golf; week 6: children were given opportunity to choose their game Not specified how the sessions were supervised CON: no practice | Object control skills (two-hand strike, one-hand strike, ball bounce, catch, kick, underarm throw, overarm throw) assessed with TGMD-3 and a custom-made golf test Each item received a score of 1 (or 0) if correctly (or not) executed based on standard movement criteria |
Mombarg et al.[33], Netherlands | RCT (pre–post), school setting, lunch break | n = 29 7–12 y 21% girls 79% boys | 6 weeks, 3 days/week, 30 min/session Total of 540 min | Nintendo Wii: Wii Fit Plus Participants interacted with the software via a handheld controller and a balance board | EXP: participants chose and practiced 3 to 5 balance games in each session, for a total of 18 games throughout the intervention. The difficulty of each game was continuously and automatically adjusted A physical therapist supervised the sessions CON: no practice | Balance (dynamic and static) and balance-related skills assessed with M-ABC-2 and BOT-2 based on standard movement criteria |
Sheehan & Katz [40], Canada | Cluster-randomized trial (pre–post), school setting, PE classes | n = 65 7–9 y 57% girls 43% boys | 6 weeks, 3 days/week, 30 min/session Total of 540 min | Nintendo Wii: Wii Fit Plus Participants interacted with the software via a handheld controller and a balance board | EXP: participants practiced a list of activities on agility, balance and coordination from the Wii Fit Plus. The list of activities was of increase task difficulty and was designed to specifically improve balance. A PE specialist supervised the sessions CON1: participants practiced activities on agility, balance and coordination. A PE specialist ran the sessions CON2: participants practiced the regular PE curriculum | Balance assessed with the HUR BT4 platform |
Sheehan & Katz [39], Canada | Cluster-randomized trial (pre–post), school setting, Physical education (PE) classes | n = 61 9–10 y 44% girls 56% boys | 6 weeks, 4–5 days/week, 30 min/session Total of 720–900 min | iDance, Wii Fit Plus, XR-Board Dueller System (snowboard simulator) and Lightspace Play Wall Participants interacted with the software via a handheld controller, a balance board and sensors on the floor and the wall | EXP: participants rotated across the exergaming stations. Task difficulty was automatically adjusted. A PE specialist supervised the sessions CON1: participants practiced activities on agility, balance and coordination. A PE specialist ran the sessions CON2: participants practiced the regular PE curriculum | Balance assessed with the HUR BT4 platform |
Vernadakis et al. [38], Greece | RCT (pre–post-retention), school setting | n = 66, 6.4 ± 0.7 y 45,5% girls 54,5% boys | 8 weeks, 2 days/week 30 min/session Total of 480 min | Xbox Kinect; sport games that required the use of object control skills (NBA Baller Beats and Kinect Sports: Baseball mini games, NBA Baller Beats, Bowling mini games, Soccer mini games) Participants interacted with the software via their body movement | EXP: Xbox Kinect object control training. A plan was specifically designed to develop object control skills, and within this plan, children had opportunity to choose the order in which they would play the games. All sessions were led by a single instructor who provided instruction and feedback on how to perform the necessary movements in each game; each session contains warm-up, motor skill instruction and closure activities CON1: same lesson structure and content of EXP, but practice was performed in the sports hall and led by a teacher CON2: no object control training; outdoor activities at playground area | TGMD-2: Object control skills (striking stationary ball, stationary dribble, kicking, catching, overhand throwing, underhand rolling) Each item received a score of 1 (or 0) if correctly (or not) executed based on standard movement criteria |
Ye et al. [35], United States | Non-randomized trial (pre–post), school setting, PE classes | n = 261 8.3 ± 0.7 y 51% girls 49% boys | 9 months, 2 days/fortnight 25 min/session Unclear total number of sessions | Nintendo Wii; Xbox Kinect. A variety of games were selected from both exergame consoles Participants interacted with the software via a handheld controller and their body movement | EXP: participants alternated weeks of regular PE curriculum and weeks of exergaming practice. In the exergaming practice, participants played a variety of exergames individually, in pairs or in group with the supervising teacher or research assistant assisting children in game play throughout CON: participants practiced the regular PE curriculum | Maximum kicking speed, maximum throwing speed, maximum long standing jump distance and average hopping height were measured using custom-made tests |